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Venezuela Isn’t Just in Crisis, But Faces “Total Societal Collapse”

This article was written by Shaun Bradley and originally published at The Anti-Media.

Editor’s Comment: Obviously, things aren’t going to just get better. The people of Venezuela, forced to wait in long lines for basic necessities, are under the thumb of what has now proven to be a ruthless dictator. He has killed, and will increasingly use violence (and any means necessary) to hold onto power.

Eventually, Maduro will likely be ousted, but only after forcing his people into literal starvation. Yes, the U.S. likely is waging economic war on Venezuela, with tanking oil prices putting on the pressure; yes, the U.S. is involved in coups all across Latin Americas, but Venezuelans are now between a rock and a hard place. It is just indecent, and the world’s attention has been turned elsewhere.

Total Societal Collapse: What the Media Isn’t Telling You About Venezuela

by Shaun Bradley

Life in Venezuela now consists of empty grocery stores, record rates of violent crime, and widespread shortages of just about everything. The economic and political conditions have been deteriorating for years, but recent stories coming from this once-rich nation are astonishing. Bars have run out of beer, McDonald’s can’t get buns for their Big Macs, and rolling blackouts are a regular occurrence. The average person spends over 35 hours a month waiting in line to buy their rationed goods, and even basics like toilet paper and toothpaste are strictly regulated.

The fiasco began when the price of oil collapsed and sent Venezuelan finances into chaos. The oil-dependent nation, despite its imposing government policies, couldn’t prevent the fallout. The current problems are further compounded by rampant corruption throughout the Venezuelan government. The likelihood of a peaceful resolution is decreasing by the day, and political dissents are likely to be met with brutal crackdowns. The desperation of the masses could explode violently under the right circumstances, and there are few things more dangerous to a nation than a hungry population.

The food lines seen throughout Venezuela are reminiscent of the Great Depression. Thousands fill the sidewalks and wait for hours to get their hands on basic staples. Tensions have risen so dramatically that several people have been killed in recent food riots and lootings. Dogs, cats, and birds are finding themselves on the menu, and a group even broke into the Caracas’ Caricuao Zoo to slaughter the animals for meat.

In an effort to relieve some of the pressure, President Nicolas Maduro briefly opened the border with Colombia, prompting over one hundred thousand people to pour across in search of products that have gone extinct in their own country. The border was originally sealed back in 2014 in an attempt to prevent the smuggling of food and people. The uncertainty of what the future holds has forced people to spend what little savings they have on securing enough food to get by. Without access to the resources needed for production and distribution, commerce has come to a complete standstill, and food shortages aren’t the only consequence.

The Venezuelan healthcare system, once a symbol of socialism’s success, has been crippled by vast medical supply shortages. Gloves, soap, and antibiotics have all vanished, with power often only working one or two days a week. The economic woes have created a full-blown public health emergency. Malnutrition combined with doctors’ inability to treat patients effectively has led to outbreaks of diseases like tuberculosis and malaria. With such extremely limited resources, many patients are falling through the cracks. Even simple illnesses are going untreated, leading to dangerous complications.